I Accidentally Fell In Love With An Insect

Here’s information that will shock absolutely no one: I’m not one for the wonders of nature and all that other crap. I say what’s outside should stay outside and what’s inside should be temperature controlled and free of insects. I can assure you I keep up my end of the bargain and stay indoors as much as is humanly possible. Yes, I love animals and Dan is more likely to relocate an insect to the front porch than to kill it, but sometimes enough is enough. With flies for example, as we recently discussed in depth.

But sometimes, something comes along that is so amazing even I have to admit it; and that something is the Monarch Butterfly. When the kids were younger Lisa used to foster them from egg to full grown butterflies; her sister Jill has not only taken over but also written a book* about it and posted some admittedly wondrous and beautiful photos on Facebook. There, I said it. Wondrous. Bah humbug.

The thing is, it is hard to believe that a caterpillar wraps itself up for a while and comes out a butterfly, or even a moth for that matter. It goes from crawling along the ground to flying high. And in the case of the Monarch, it is so, well, beautiful. I’m not going to say it’s spiritual or anything crazy like that, but…it’s certainly something. And as usual, Lisa and her smarty pants family are all interesting and have hobbies and talents and things. Our side of the family might be interesting too, OK? We’re working our way up to it.

Maybe I’ll learn how to play the banjo or something. And it wouldn’t kill my brothers to try to do something either…just sayin’, we look really bad compared to Lisa’s family.

Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver is a wonderful read. Based on science and recent events and the environment, I think you would really like it because the plot centers on the migration of the monarch butterfly.
Loved your photos. Thanks for sharing!

My name is Vanessa, which means ‘butterfly’ in Greek according to the baby name books, etc….so I’ve always had a special place in my heart for butterflies (so far, I’ve been able to resist getting a butterfly tattoo)! A co-worker of mine rushes home at odd times to check on her caterpillar eggs and to set the monarch’s free when they hatch – and has been doing this for years. I guess it’s a thing! I just thought she was a little nutty 🙂

I think the Monarchs are in danger because of global warming, but I don’t know a lot about it. Read Barbara Kingsolver’s book Flight Behavior-it’s fiction but a lot of the information in it is true. Plus it’s a good book!

I share your disdain for bugs in general – and probably even border on the phobic when it comes to things like stink bugs and cockroaches. But Monarch butterflies? Ladybugs? I think there’s something pretty magical about watching them (the butterflies that is – ladybugs just kinda hang out, but I heard once that they were lucky, so I give them a props for that)..

Ladybugs will eat all the little fruit flies and gnats and things in your house. We try to find them and put them right on produce we bring home, but of course now with 4 cats it’s a death sentence for the poor thing.

The cats eat bugs, but they are very picky! And they spit out the legs when they’re done. Plus they keep killing the ladybugs that we actually bring in the house to keep the fruit fly population down when we bring home produce. Proving my point that we should eat a lot more packaged, processed food.

I’m pretty much with you on the insects should live outside thing. I have rehomed many things, mostly spiders which are good guys. However, now my new kitty just eats them all. No problems, no bugs. Who would have thought it? The book sounds fascinating!